ESA’s “Science in Space Environment” (SciSpacE) programme is part of ESA’s overall European Exploration Envelope (E3P) programme. Among other things, through it are implemented scientific activities on research platforms such as ground-based space analogues (e.g., bedrest studies, research on Antarctic stations, radiation facilities, drop tower, sounding rockets, parabolic flights).
Isolation studies serve as a space analogue to better understand the effects of confinement and isolation on human health, behaviour, and performance. This knowledge is relevant when preparing for long duration missions beyond Low Earth Orbit, where numerous challenges regarding psychological and physiological wellbeing still need to be addressed. Furthermore, such knowledge may help in predicting specific risks for the astronauts related to the impacts of long-term space missions.
To address these concerns, ESA is now preparing to carry out a high fidelity and standardized isolation and confinement study at the German Aerospace Centre (DLR) in Cologne in the second half of 2025. During the mission, a crew of six persons will be isolated and confined in an adapted 130 m2/351m3 facility at :envihab, Cologne, for a period of 100 days.
ESA is soliciting for research proposals that align with the SciSpacE research strategy, to be implemented during this isolation study. Particular research areas of interest are general health and wellbeing of the crew, team cohesion and performance, cognition and sleep, mood and psychological state, microbiology, stress and immune system.
ESA will organize a Q&A Teams meeting. This session aims to present the details of the call and the facility, and to address any questions that prospective proposers may have. The meeting is designed to assist interested teams in preparing comprehensive full proposals.